The Devereaux Jewel — my newest novel will be released for readers to enjoy on November 11, 2017!! This story has been a long time in development. Pre-readers reviewed and declared it to be fast-paced, thrilling, mysterious and ‘a book you can’t put down.’

About the Devereaux story:

There is a sinister secret in the Devereaux family. Lovely Anna has recently married the Devereaux heir and would prefer to settle into her delightful new home with her handsome, beloved husband. She is enjoying the grand rooms at the mansion where the Devereaux family has entertained royalty along with good neighbors for generations. Anna is no stranger to society. The lovely gowns that she has been accumulating since returning from her romantic honeymoon are thrilling to touch and feel, even though she has had fine gowns before. Anna’s newest finery is special because each has been created for her. She feels lovely as Anna Devereaux, wife of nobility. Anna is more than a well-bred school girl from sufficient ‘quality’ to make her an acceptable bridal choice. Anna is in a nutshell, having a great time getting used to her new life role.

Then, this terrifying element of the new family and home begins to move in on her. She has ‘extra-sensory’ feelings about the evil that seeps into their days like a damp, cranky mist. It becomes more clear that she and her husband, plus their grand estate are at risk. No one except Anna seems to be aware or concerned about the sinister secret lurking and waiting for a chance to destroy them all. Ghosts begin to speak to her. Are they guiding her toward victory or are they part of the threat?

Anna is stubborn and refuses to let her sanity crack. She begins to delve into the history of the Devereaux Estate only to learn that she alone can set things right! Anna, alone! That wasn’t part of the new home setting she had planned for her married life! Stubborn, intelligent and beautiful, Anna still feels inadequate to meet this challenge. There is no one she can go to…she is sure that her husband loves her, but with others in the family, still consider her a pretty accessory who should be content with her place. How can she find the strength to defy the evil and keep the Devereaux Estate along with the mysterious Devereaux Jewel in the hands of family where they belong?

The book is ready for you to enjoy on your Kindle account at Amazon right now with the print release scheduled for November 11, 2017.

The most scary nightmare an author can endure is that a limp character will show up. What terrifies an author? Finding that a story has finished with characters who are less exciting and alive than cardboard paper dolls!

No plot wrapped around an historical event or fanning out over something totally imaginary can satisfy a reader’s drive to enjoy a darn good story if the characters are less than memorable! Good characters, all sweetness and light, along with the wicked characters, oozing evil and terror must still LIVE for the reader.

Characters must LIVE for an author even more, if you can believe that! At least this axiom of lively characters is true for me as an author. I find myself choking on the dust of a boring, bland, tasteless character, person or animal, when one tries to wiggle into a story. The story is brought to a screeching halt.

Readers have no idea how many stories are tossed into the wastebasket because the population of characters has crumbled to a collection of nothings, only capable of putting a reader into a semi-trance. The reader would not be fully engaged with nothings. Readers would maintain enough awareness to be thoroughly irritated at having spent good money to get such a worthless story! Readers even resent the effort taken to get a FREE copy of a worthless story. As an author who experiences serious physical and emotional pain when caught in the grasp of a worthless story, I absolutely do not blame these resentful readers.

The Lively Character – Step by Step

There are many steps I take to learn to know the characters in my stories. I want to make sure the lively ones survive because I have not neglected getting to know them. I ‘listen’ to learn their favorite foods. Closets are filled with beautiful clothes. I share the clothes I’m selecting for them with friends on Facebook! Friends get to share their opinion about the clothing helping me know what to leave out of the character’s closet! I note the favorite accessories, jewelry, scarves, gloves, hats, weapons. Each character prefers different things.

I furnish the rooms of their house with their favorite pieces. Characters with a passion for antiques fine their story offers only the best — ancient, well-preserved, significant to the character and maybe the his family! When ample, bright kitchens are the favorite room in the house, the kitchen in the story will welcome readers with delightful appliances. That kitchen serves up mouth-watering dishes with flair. Presentation is everything!

Let’s not forget the transportation. I explore and study each one’s favorite automobile, carriage, bus, taxi or train!

The Lively Character and I Get Along Well As We Live Together!

In a good story with lively characters, these characters become the people of most of my social contact during the writing. We walk together throughout the house. We stroll to the park or the mailbox. The pair of us become much more than memorable so that the character will be lively and memorable for the readers.

There is much more to being an author than owning a pencil or a keyboard! This is a life process that is such a deep part of them that I cannot seem to shut it off! That is a problem that I don’t mind having…I want to keep spinning the stories with the lively characters. They become lively people or pets that are embedded in the memory of readers.

Emalyn’s Treasure is the story of an independent, cherished young woman’s strong, personal secret. Emalyn’s secret is a special treasure hidden deeply in her favorite possession. The treasure’s story spins from actual experiences from my own childhood which I have given to Emalyn.

In times of terrible events – storms, earthquakes, or fire – surviving children tell of being rescued or protected by ‘butterfly people’. I don’t recall using the term ‘butterfly people’, even though I have had experiences with angelic beings who offered rescue or protection to me. A simple record of these events wouldn’t be wrong for me to write about, but the narrative could be rather boring!

Naturally, I don’t want to bore my readers! I was excited and intrigued when I was led to an obscure but significant time in modern Irish history

Boring Falls in the Presence of Drama Around the Treasure

Modern Irish history can be as colorful and voliatile as the ‘good old days’. Attempts to modernize Irish society were met with resistance. We all know personally how change can be scary and threatening. When people are faced with progress that they resent due to fear and ignorance they can act with violence. Progress can appear to be threatening economic comfort zones. People who own the ‘endangered’ business interests can help provoke the ignorant and fearsome into dangerous actions. Drama in the Irish community revolving around progress may not have launched such a big surge in the general motion of the planet, but it was high drama for Ireland. Intrigue and local terrorism, which could help an angelic event in my life bloom into a treasure novel. A novel I plan to have bring a richer reading experience to you — all faithful and encouraging readers.

In addition to the history, Emalyn has romantic, chocolate, and family drama to add richness to the story of Emalyn”s Treasure!

As the story comes racing from the tips of my fingers on the keyboard, an impressive amount of research forms seed foundation of that tale. Bits and pieces must fit the era when the story stands in a distant time in history. I pore over many events and pages of information searching for the event that will fit the first layer of the foundation. Foundation’s first layer is that beautiful story IDEA! Creativity, imagination, research and life experiences team in my author mind to bring a story to fullness. Finally, Emalyn’s Treasure has the foundation layers that make me proud of the published novel, all ready for you to read.

As a story teller, I am attracted to the cliffs at Slieve League and the Christian/Gaelic history that permeates the Irish countryside and brilliant views of the Atlantic Ocean. Characters are clamoring to tell me their stories and adventures on One Man’s Path and Pilgrim Path — dramatic hikes that demand more of walkers on a stormy day. Of course, my story will have at least ONE stormy day! My hero will take in the views from the cliffs dropping as much as 1500 feet to the ocean. He would enjoy the panorama of the Atlantic, around to the Sligo Mountains and bright Donegal Bay. Breezes would play with the blooms of the Nóíníní and Seamair Dhearg and Seamróg (Daisies and Red Clover and Shamrock– summer wildflowers at Donegal Bay), reminding him of his “brideach milis bouquet bláthanna fiáine” — sweet bride’s wildflower bouquet.

If you walk with me, we could visit historic Donegal Castle together and enjoy the views from this 15th century castle built by the O’Donnell chieftain. We could get lots of photos, then walk back to our inn for a celebration serving of historic Donegal Oatmeal Cream! “Taitneamh a bhaint as uachtar mhin choirce Donegal ag Sliabh Liag” We can enjoy Donegal Oatmeal Cream at Sliabh Liag.

One day clearly won’t be enough for me to be able to absorb the history and dramatic beauty of this mountain that has so many paths wandering over it and such larger-than-life views. If you are able to stay longer, we could get on one of the charter boats cruising the Donegal Bay to get a different, but no less impressive view of the cliffs from the water’s edge. And stop at one of the sweet, clear beaches along the edges of the bay.

A few weeks ago, Kathleen M. Rodgers, one of my favorite authors, wrote about how her dogs have been enjoying their summer and the pool. SHe quickly tells us about the inspiration she finds from her pets. Characters in her books are joined with furry characters as pets make a part of each story. She has the sweetest photo of the dogs drinking from the pool in Dogs of Summer.

My beloved dogs, Murphy, Sophie and Maddie Lou, keep me company and definitely inspire characters. They inspire some serious DOG characters as in The Beggar’s Miracle and COUNTENANCE. Human and angelic characters are shaped by their relationship with the dogs. My attitude toward all characters is affected by the unconditional support and love from the dogs!

The dogs make me be active. I have to break the writing trance to let them out or feed them or play with them. They say the computer chair is bad for one’s health. Well, those dogs make sure I don’t get glued to my chair! Their tender eyes are on me all the time to see if treat time has come around!

My dogs and your dogs give us a wonderful connection for conversation! I know I love to tell you about mine and the inspiration they bring to my stories. I want you to know that I enjoy learning about yours! Whether you are a reader or an author, I want to learn how your dogs and other pets bring that touch of inspiration to each tale you spin.

If you haven’t already joined the Angel Pack fans, you’re invited to do that right here —